Last night we pulled in to our hotel in Lititz and learned a lesson in using the hotel bidding system on the web. Actually, the place is clean, so the 70s decor shouldn't bother me. After my irrevocable bid went out into cyberspace, I discovered the same room was being offered for less than my bid by the same company I was bidding with, had I simply purchased the room outright, rather than bidding on it. Needless to say, they snatched up my offer with smiles on their faces. I accept the blame though. I should have checked that angle first, rather than being gullible and believing my room would be worth the $120.00 they implied it would be.
It could have been much worse. Like the time years ago when we walked into our "smoke-free" room and found cigarette burns on the furniture; I won't even discuss what we found on the bathroom floor. We went across the street to see if the hotel there had availability. It was much nicer, and smelled good. The man behind the desk was booking a room for us when I told him we needed to be sure we could get our money back from the nasty hole across the street. He said not to worry. Same people own both of them. He called over to The Hole and arranged everything.
Tonight we are meeting our friend John Schmid, who also happens to be family since he married my cousin Lydia. By now you are asking if there is anyone east of the Mississippi to whom I am not related. Very few, very few.
Paul has been playing bass for John lately, something he enjoys very much. They are playing tonight in New Holland at the park. John has been singing and playing for years and has a sizable following. His Johnny Cash tribute programs, since the release of his CD of the same, are very popular. His unique voice is well-suited for it and his laid-back style of interacting with his audiences is always well-received. It promises to be a fun evening and yes, I hope to see some relatives there.
Several nights ago we enjoyed a country music show in Ekins, WV at a family-run theater. Not only did they claim to own the building, but they did the singing, comedy, performing, made the items sold in the gift shop, worked the gift shop, and very likely did the cleaning up as well. Two brothers who claimed to be twins, the wife of one, the ex-wife of another, a son, a daughter, and various other cousins, in-laws and who knows what else. And this is just what, in all their tall tales and jokes, I actually believed might be true. It was an entertaining two hours by a group of hard-working and talented people. I wonder how anyone really makes it to the big-time when there is so much talent out there most of us never hear about. Either it's who you know, great marketing or dumb luck. Maybe sometimes all three. At any rate they made us laugh till we cried.
Yesterday, on our drive to Lancaster, PA, we took the scenic route and what incredible scenery it was! It would be hard to top the roadways of WV. And thankfully the people who drove out in front of us, gave us time to hit our brakes.
It's not hard to tell which cars are driven by people who have never been on a motorcycle. Bikers, when they are driving their cars, do not tend to tail-gate bikes, drive out in front of bikes, or cut bikes off in traffic. Automobile drivers who have never enjoyed the freedom of alternative modes of travel are another story. Just before the motorists mentioned above pulled across the busy four-lane highway (incidentally, one of them was completely blocking the left lane when we passed, while he waited for an opening to cross the median and pull into the oncoming lanes), we had passed the scene of an accident. A motorcycle on its side, and a car with a big dent in the front fender.
I realize motorcycles are not as visible as larger vehicles. I realize accidents happen. I realize if you are driving a licensed vehicle, you have paid for the right to be there. And so have I. Some people ridicule loud bikes, but maybe if they hear us coming they won't run over us. Motorcycling has been a good motivator to pray without ceasing. And I mean that with all sincerity.
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